Valve.



A. E. MUELLER vALvE.

APP CATO FILED JUN 1,1916-, A 1,228,469. Patented June -5,1917. l

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AUG-UST E. MUELLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO THOMAS J'. HRUBY AND ONE-THIRD 1"0 JOHN O. I-IRUBY, JR., BOTH OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VALVE.

Specification if-'Letters Patent.

Patented J une 5,1917.

Application 1edJfui1e 17, 1918. Serial No. 104,152.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, AUeUs'r E. MUnLLnn, a citizen of Argentina, South America, and a resident ot Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovements in Valves; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters ot reference marked thereon, which forma part of this specification. f

This invention relates to a novel. valve for controlling the supply of steam or other mo. tive agent from a steam boiler or other source to a plurality of engines. The valve has been designed more particularly Afor use in connection with the type ot rotary motor shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 102,627, tiled on the Qthday oit' June, 1916, and illustrated in connection with the power plant of a tractor in another applica tion tiled by me on the 12th day ot June 1916, Serial No. 103,271.

Tn the rotary motor shown in the firstlmentioned application, means are provided i'or delivering the motive fluid to either one or both sides of the axis of rotation of the rotor, the fluid being delivered to and against one side oi? the rotor when operating the engine for moderate power, and being simultaneously delivered to the rotor on both sides ot' its axis of rotation when the maximum power is to be developed from the engine. The engine is also provided with means for delivering motive fluid againstone side of the rotor in a direction to reverse the rotation thereof.

The valve herein shown has been designed as a simple expedient and readily controllable valve mechanism to control the flow of steam or other motive fluid from the source of supply to front and rear pairs of motors 'that are mounted on swinging axle stubs, such as is shown in my later application, second above referred to. 1t will be understood, however, that the essential features of the valve may be embodied in a construen tion to control the delivery of a motive Huid under other conditions ot use and in connection with other types of engines.

Figure 1 is a partial vertical section and a partial side elevation of a, Valve embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section thereof on the line 2-2 oicFig. r1.

As shown in said drawings, 10 designates the main body of the valve casing herein shown as circular in cross section. It is provided with a central chamber 11 and with a plurality ot' passages 12, 12, 13, 13, 14 and 15, which lead radially outwardly through the casing 'from the central chamber and open at the outer side of the valve casing. Pipes 16, 16 are screw-threaded in the passages 12; pipes 17, 17 are screw-threaded in the passages 13; a pipe 18 is screwthreaded in the passage 14 and a pipe 19 is screwthreaded in the passage 15. In the above suggested use of the valve in connection with the tractor referred to, it may be assumed that the pipes 16, 16, are directed to the iront of the vehicle and are branched for connection with the inlet ports of the front engines and that the pipes 17 are likewise directed toward the rear of the vehicle and are branched for connection with the rear engines. Also it may be assumed that the-"pipe 18 is directed toward the rear of the vehicle and is branched for connection with the inlet reverse ports of the rear engines and that the pipe 19 is similarly directed toward the front of the vehicle and is branched for connection with the reverse inlet ports of the front engines.

22 designates a hollow rotative combined distributing and valve member vwhich is seated in the recess 11. Said rotative member 22 is provided with oppositely disposed ports 23, 23. Said ports are adapted to alternately register with the passages 12, 13, 14; and 15. In the position ot the parts as shown in Fig. 2 the distributing and valve member 22 is inposition to cut oit motive fluid to all of the'distributing passages. It the said member be turned in the direction indicated by the arrow so as to bring one of the ports 23 into register with the lower pipe 16 and the other port into register with the upper pipe 17 steam or other motive fluid maybe directed through said pipes to the single ports of the engines for the development of moderate power. It the said valve and distributing member be rotated to bring the ports (which latter, it will bevobs'erved, are wider than the individual passages 12 and 13) into register with both pairs of passages steam or other motive fluid will be delivered through both pairs of pipes 16, 17 so as to deliver motive fluid against the rotors on both sides of their axes of rotation to develop the higher power of the engines. To reverse the engines, the distributing and valve member 22 is further turned to bring the ports 23 into register with the passages 14 and 15, whereupon steam or other motive fluid is directed to the reverse inlet ports of K .the open upper end of the distributing and valve member 22 and is secured thereto by screws 29 'or other suitable fasteningmeans. The pipe 25 is provided at its lower end with a flange 30 which fits beneath the cover plate 28. The said removable plate 27 is recessed at 31 to receive the cover plate 28 and a suitable packing 32 is applied between the plate 27 and the casing 10. The construction described provides steam tight joints between the several parts.

The valve member and distributing chamber 22 is provided with a stem 311 which extends downwardly through an opening in the casing 10 which lea'ds from the chamber 11 and through a stutling box 35 carried by the lower side of said casing 10. The construction is such that the said ydistributing and valve member 22 may be rotated on its axis relatively to the lower end of the pipe 25, the latter being held fixed from rotation through its connection with the steam boiler or other source of motive fluid. Tlie stem 34 is herein shown as provided at its lower end with a gear wheel 36 by which it may be rotated from any suitable control device, such, for instance, as is illustrated in the tractor construction above referred'to.

The valve device shown constitutes an exceedingly simple, compact, inexpensive and efficient device for distributing motive fluid from a central source of supply to a number of engines, both for forward and reverse operation thereof, and enables a number of engines'to be controlled from a central point with facility and accuracy.

I claim as my invention r- 1. A valve device comprising a casing having a chamber and a plurality of radial passages leading therefrom; a rotative, ported,vhollow distributing and valve member in said chamber provided with a stem which extends outwardly from `said'ohamber and a supplypipe leading through the wall of said casing and through one wall of said member and having a wide face bearing with the inner face of said wall.

2. A valve device comprising a casing having a chamber and a plurality of radial passages leading therefrom; a rotative, ported, hollow distributing and valve member in said chamber, and provided with a stem which extends outwardly from said chamber; a supply pipe leading through the wall of said casing and into said chamber and provided at its inner end with a flange; a removable cover plate fastened to said member through which said pipe extends and bearing at its inner face against said flange, and means to rotate said valve and distributing member. l

3. A valve device comprising a casing formed with a central chamber' which is open to'one side of the casing and provided with a plurality of radial passages leading therefrom; a hollow, rotative, ported dis` tributing and valve member in said chamber and open at the open side of the cham` ber; a removable cover plate to cover the open side of said member and provided with a central opening; a plate applied over said casing against said cover 'plate and provided with a stuffing box; a supply pipe extending through said stuffing box and said cover plate and having a face bearing against the inner side of said cover plate, and means for rotating said distributing and valve member.

4. A valve device comprising a hollow casing provided with two oppositely disposed pairs of ports and with two oppositely disposed single ports and a hollow` rotative valve member in said casing pro vided with two oppositely disposed ports adapted to register with the ports of the casing.

5. A valve device comprising a casing having a chamber; two oppositely disposed pairs of passages leading therefrom; two single, oppositely disposed passages leading from the chamber intermediate said pairs, and a hollow rotative valve and distributing member, with means to supply motive Huid thereto and provided with oppositely disposed ports adapted to be brought alter` nately into register with the opposed pairs of passages and with the lopposed single passages, said ports being made of a width to span the receiving ends of said pairs of passages, vwith means for rotating said member.

In testimony whereof, lI have hereunto set myhand 'at' Chicago, Illinois, in the presence of two witnesses, this 14th day of June,

AUGUST E. MUELLER. Witnesses:

WILLIAM L. HALL, M. G. Any.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by'addressing the Ccmmissio'ner'of latents,

Washington, D. C. f 

